ZFPS is a wildfire monitoring center in South Africa that was initially formed as a service to the Zululand timber industry. It has since grown to provide 24 hour/365 day services to a very large area of private timber producers.

Xtreme ALSE is an Aviation Life Support Equipment company operated out of Clarksville, Tennessee.
They offer a wide variety of equipment and also helmet repair and refurbishment.
They are also the exclusive US dealer for the Alpha helmet.

A South African public works program that uses firefighting as a jobs training and skills program.
They utilize both rotary and fixed-wing assets.
Look for the Aerial Firefighting link on the left menu bar.

The mission of Wingbar "is to provide you with the best technical assistance and support for the wildland firefighting aviation industry."
Consulting, training, inspections, etc. An industry leader. Partnered with SEI. J.P. Johnston - Instructor

This foundation, while not exclusively about aerial firefighting, is set up to honor and assist those firefighters, or families of, that have been injured or killed on the job. Thank you for your work.

VIH-Cougar is the U.S. branch of Canadian VIH Aviation Group. Their headquarters is in Bellingham, Washington with bases in Boise, Idaho and Galliano, Louisiana. S-61's, Bell 212's, 205's, and AS350's.

VIH Aviation Group is a very large helicopter operator based in Canada with worldwide contracts.
VIH - Cougar is the U.S. division. The oldest division, VIH Helicopters, Ltd. has been in business 53 years as of 2008.

Valhalla Helicopters is yet another company based in Kelowna, B.C.
They have a satellite operation in Grande Prairie, Alberta also.
They operate a Bell 205++ and a 212 across Canada and internationally, if needed.

UTair Aviation is based in Russia.
They have a very large fleet of helicopters that provide many worldwide services, including firefighting. Although they have a large fleet it is unknown if they offer fixed-wing firefighting services also.

Turbine Conversions is located in Nunica, Michigan. They manufacture a fire retardant drop gate that is approved by the FAA & IATB & BLM, a single point fueling system for M-18, AT etc, among other services.

Transaero, Inc. is another site to check for helmets, flight suits, and various other pilot equipment. They offer a variety of other items geared more toward military and airline customers but the flight equipment is most pertinent to our industry.

Trans Aero has been in business since 2003. They offer a wide variety of services in the U.S. but can easily go international. They operate the SA315B Lama, SA316B Alouette, AS-350, SA330J Puma and Bell UH-1H. Based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Started in 1993, Titan is the No.1 large helicopter company in South Africa. They offer a very wide array of services, including 4 fixed Aerial Firefighting bases. They operate the MI-26, Kamov, MI-8, Bell 212, and R-44.

Thrush Aircraft, Inc. manufactures a range of agricultural aircraft to fit any operation, from small to large with hopper capacities ranging from 400 to 710 gallons. They are based in Albany, Georgia, USA.

The God Machine - From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, The Story of the Helicopter.
Not directly related to firefighting but if you want to know more about the history of the helicopter you might read this book.

Tangent Link is a company that organizes and hosts various conferences around the world. The host the Aerial Firefighting conferences that are periodically held all over. Australia soon and Rome in November 2009.

Storm King Mountain TM was created to provide burn-over protection products to wildland fire fighters, using the latest in space-age materials and manufacturing techniques.
It is named for the infamous incident that killed 14 in 1994.

Spotfire Images, by Mike McMillan, a BLM Smokejumper in Alaska.
Mike has graciously allowed some of his fantastic photos to be used on this site, in exchange for a couple of really cool T-shirts, as soon as they are printed.
Thanks Mike!

The SACC is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Areas of responsibility: Everything including and south of Virginia and Kentucky, and east of (including) Texas, also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

I can't really read Italian but I gather that SoREM is the Italian aerial firefighting service for fixed wings. They operate 19 CL-415's and 8 CL-215's. If you know the language and can help out, just drop me an email.

Skyline Helicopters is another company based in Kelowna, B.C. They have satellite bases in Terrace, Edson, and Billings. They operate 5 Bell 212's and 2 Agusta A119's. Firefighting is just one of many services offered throughout Canada.

Simplex is the largest manufacturer and distributor of STC approved fixed helicopter tank systems in the world, as well as the original helicopter Drip Torch, a fire fighting foam cannon for high rise buildings and distributor of the AFS FAST Bucket.

SEI Industries is the manufacturer of a number of products for the rotary wing folks, like the Bambi Bucket, Heliwell, Fireflex Pumpkin, and Dragon (Aerial Ignition Device), among others. Based near Vancouver, Canada.

SMS offers many courses including a course for Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET) in the METS (Modular Egress Training Simulator). Customizable to company needs & simulate specific airframes.
Excellent!
I completed it in May 2010.

Rotor-Lift started in 1991 in Helicopter Sales and Maintenance and later expanded to include operations. Charters, utility work & training. A fleet of 8: BK117, AS355 Twin Squirrel, AS350 Squirrel & Bell 206 Jetranger. Based in Cambridge, Tasmania.

RESPRO manufactures a variety of passive particulate filtration masks.
There is a line specifically for Fire Services/Industrial and is flame resistant.
There is a lot of smoke and dust in our line of work.
It might be good to use them.

Reeder Flying Service, Twin Falls, Idaho.
A full service FBO, FAA repair station, aircraft sales and helicopter operator (Bell JetRangers and Eurocopter AS350's).
They are one of the pioneers of the Aerial Firefighting industry.

PHOS-CHeK was started in 1962 and has since become a world known provider of firefighting foams, retardants, and gels. They are based in Ontario, California with satellite operations, one being in Post Falls, Idaho.

Orsmond Aerial Spray was the pioneer of aerial fire fighting in Southern Africa. They are based in Bethlehem, South Africa. They operate a fleet of Ayres Turbo Thrushes for crop spraying and Aerial Firefighting.

Oregon Aero offers a variety of products, mostly cushioning types of things. They make custom seat cushions for aircraft and a variety of aviation helmet upgrades. I use the Zeta Liner and Hush Kit Combo myself. Highly recommended!

OWSweather.com is the OFFICIAL Southern California Weather Forecast center. From Santa Ana Winds to Winter Storms, the media, public, and interested party's forecast service serves. This site is for weather events that are current and upcoming.

Northern Air Support/Kelowna Helicopters Services provides a wide variety of services.
They were established in 1993 and are based in Kelowna, B.C.
They operate 1 Bell 206, 3 Bell 407's, and 3 AS350B2's throughout Canada.

New Air Helicopters is located in Durango, Colorado. They operate the MD-500E, Bell 206B III, and the Bell 206L III. They offer a wide variety of services. In operation since 1986 they are under new management as of 2009.

The National Aerial FireFighting Academy (NAFA) is a training effort by and for personnel directly involved in aerial retardant and water delivery. This includes Airtanker, Helicopter, Single Engine Airtanker, Lead and Aerial Supervision aircraft.

Paul Ross Jr. has been around the fire and helitack business for years now.
He writes consistently for various publications like Vertical and Wildland Firefighter.
He also will get some shirts for letting me use some photos.
Thanks Paul!

In business for over 40 years Midwest Helicopters operates S-58T's and provides a variety of services but specializes in external load work. They also are involved with Aerial Firefighting. They are based in Willowbrook, Illinois.

The Malheur Rappel Crew is stationed at the John Day, OR airport.
Established in 1971 the John Day facility is now the national training center for all OAS/FS rappel training, in addition to a full Helitack/Rappel crew for firefighting.

Los Angeles Helicopters offers this comprehensive External Load Course for pilots aspiring to further their skills and career opportunities. The course focuses on developing fundamental skills for real time operations, and is drawing both major helic

Latitude Technologies is an innovator and manufactures a range of devices to enhance flight following. They pioneered the AFF system in 2001 and offer the Advanced Air Tanker Information System (AATIS), among others. Based in Victoria, B.C.

Just Helicopters is the partner site to Vertical Reference. Both sites are part of the Rotorcraft Pro Media Network. This site offers a lot of similar information but also includes a rather "entertaining" Original Forum.

JUMPING FIRE: A SMOKEJUMPER’S MEMOIR OF FIGHTING WILDFIRE.
A veteran smokejumper recounts his three decades parachuting out of planes and fighting wildfires in the rugged West, told within the framework of one thrilling season.

Department of the Interior: Aviation Management direct link to the AMD-64A form Interagency AIRPLANE Pilot Qualifications and Approval Record.
Use this to submit for recarding. For FIXED WING aviators.

Based in Kauai, Hawaii, U.S.A. Inter-Island Helicopters operates MD-500's for a variety of purposes, mainly tour flights, but also serves on the Kauai Search & Rescue team and is often called in for aerial firefighting missions.

Hoffman's is a small boot manufacturer based in Kellogg, Idaho, U.S.A. They offer a variety of boot styles designed and made for your needs. They also offer a full repair service. They also carry a variety of wildland firefighter gear.

Hirth Air Tankers is the last commercial operator of the Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon, one of the last World War II era aircraft being used for aerial firefighting. Unable to confirm if they are still in business.

High Country Blenders is based in Carmichael, CA. They produce the AFG Firewall II adhesive polymer gel for firefighting and flame retardant applications. Their product color is florescent yellow in contrast to the red and blue products out there.

"Helicopters magazine is Canada's only national helicopter magazine, providing comprehensive coverage of commercial, corporate, general and military rotary-wing aviation in Canada and around the world." Fire Season Preview issue in May/June.

Helibalde is the manufacturer of the Helibalde aerial firefighting bucket.
It collapses vertically to make a nice small package when stored.
Sizes: 211 gallons up to 396. Multiple drop and fast fill capabilities.

Heli-Hoyle is a family owned business that has been manufacturing synthetic line products since 1976.
They are now partnered with IMS New Zealand and offer the Cloud Burst bucket, among other items.
Based in Winfield, B.C., Canada.

This is NOT the same company as Guardian - Canada. Guardian - USA is based in Van Nuys, California and offers everything from offshore support to charters to firefighting. They operate Bell UH-1's, 206's, and AS-350's.

Geo-Seis is located in Fort Collins, Colorado and in operation since 1982. They have extensive international operations and a number of Department of Defense contracts. Not as much as in previous years but they still offer firefighting services.

"Precision Container Aerial Delivery System - PCADS™ allows airdropping on wildfires." The system utilizes retardant filled containers that are air dropped and disintegrate over their target. Interesting system.

The FirePirates website. Mostly geared towards the fixed wing corner of the industry. We think a lot alike. Even similarities in our logos. (Disclaimer: I had designed mine before I ever ran across the FirePirates.)

Firehawk/Brainerd Helicopters.
The world's only commercial operator of the S-70 (UH-60) Blackhawk. (4 of them)
Primarily firefighting, with the occasional lift job, film, or disaster relief. They also operate 3 AS350B3's.

Firefighterup.com is a site that offer various T-shirt, hat, and Department Gear designs. Custom work done. They also offer the 2008 Memorial shirt for the 10 firefighters that died on the Iron Complex.

This link goes directly to the USA Wildland Firefighting section of the Fire Publications by Wolfgang Jendsch.
It is to the English version.
It contains various photos and information gathered from his extensive travels to fires in the U.S.

Entrak, based in Wendelstein, Germany makes cooling vests for a number of industries and professions that have heat issues in the work environment.
I would certainly like to give it a try. Polyester shell. I'm checking for a Nomex version.

I couldn't help but put this one up.
I think it is just too cool that my aircraft, by exact tail number even, was made into a model and is being sold worldwide.
...Yes Dad, you'll be getting one for Father's Day.

CFA is one of the world's largest volunteer based emergency management organizations. This site offers fire information to the general public. On large brush fire incidents they coordinate aerial firefighting assets.

Coulson Aircrane, operating worldwide, is based in Port Alberni, B.C. They operate the Sikorsky S-61 in Executive Transport and other Utility operations like logging and firefighting. They show 2 of 4 S-61's working fires in Australia.

Cooline, based in Germany but has a American headquarters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They offer a fleece cooling vest that you saturate in water and cools by evaporation.
Supposed to stay dry to the touch.
I'm checking for a Nomex fleece version.

Carson Helicopters has a large number of Sikorsky S-61's with both a tank system or buckets.
They have bases in Pennsylvania and Oregon.
In the aftermath of the 2008 accident they no longer have firefighting contracts in the US.
Overseas? Maybe.

This link is to the NTSB Docket Management System and all the collected evidence, information, interviews, etc. regarding the Carson S-61 crash in California in 2008 that killed 9. Released on 09-16-2009.

Canadian Helicopters is an enormous company that offers services all over Canada and internationally. They operate the S-61, S-76, AS350, AS355, Bell 206B, 206L, and 212. They also have a Mountain Course in Penticton, B.C.

Burundaiavia operates a large number of MI-8MTV-1's throughout Kazakhstan and also worldwide for SAR, Medevac, Humanitarian, and Aerial Firefighting missions, among others. They are primarily based at the Boraldai airport.

The Fire and Aviation Directorate is responsible for aircraft operation support for wildfire and resource management missions within the Bureau. BLM’s aviation program is the largest within the Department of Interior’s eight Bureaus.

Brim Aviation is a utility operator based in Ashland, Oregon, with branch offices in
Alaska, Arizona and Texas.
They operate MD 500's, 600's, and R-44's.
Aerial firefighting, and starting, are some of their many services.

ASU is the sole authorized dealer for ITT Night Vision Goggles. They offer training and aircraft modification.
Most of us won't need them but some California operators are now firefighting at night using the goggles.

Avia Russia, located in Moscow, Russia and Vancouver, Canada,partner of JSC Kamov Helicopter producers of the Ka-32A11BC. The Ka-32 is one of the most sought after firefighting helicopters. It comes equipped with the Simplex firefighting system.

Australian Helicopters is the largest Australian owned helicopter operator in the country. They operate emergency medical and rescue services, aerial surveillance, marine pilot transfer, fire-fighting, tourism and charters.

"The Associated Airtanker Pilots and Aerial Firefighters provides a united forum to promote the safety and welfare of aerial firefighters. This is accomplished through active programs of safety, legislation, public relations, and education."

This is a very interesting website put together to list many of the aircraft wrecks in Arizona. Go to the home page to see the rest but the link opens up straight to the Aerial Firefighting related accidents.

ARIS is based in San Jose and Riverside, California. They have been in operation since 1972. They operate 1 Hughes 500D, 1 Bell 206B III, 1 As350B Astar, and 3 Sikorsky S-58T's, with another Sikorsky S-58T on the way (as of 2009).

Arctic Heat, based in Westwood, New Jersey, manufactures cooling vests and other garments that cool based on a gel system.
I often use the neck coolers with great success.
They do offer the vests in a fire resistant fabric.

AHSAFA is a nonprofit trade association organized for the purpose of promoting and advancing the common interest and welfare of companies engaged in forest and wildland firefighting and other aerial activities.

Aircrane, Inc. operates the S-58T country-wide in all aspects of external load work, including of course, Aerial Firefighting.
They have been in business over 16 years and are based in Winder, Georgia, USA.

Air Spray, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is a family-owned and operated aviation company specializing in air tanker forest fire suppression in Canada and Turkey for 40+ years.
They operate the L-188 Electra, the CL-215, and the Turbo Commander.

AG-NAV makes a variety of precision GPS products including the FIRE-NAV system which records flight path, water drops, fire areas, target lines and fire points for post analysis. It also provides proximity information about other aircraft.

Aerospace Filtration Systems (AFS) manufactures engine inlet filters to keep the dirt, grass, flaming vegetation, etc. out of your engine(s).
Particularly nice for those of us that often operate in the field.

The world's only commercial operator of the P-3 Orion.
They have a fleet of air tankers operated country-wide and they also manufacture the tanks for various fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.
Other maintenance and engineering services are offered.

This company offers a selection of vests and shirts with integrated tubes and flow system to offer cooling properties to pilots.
I would love to try this out!
I know I could have benefited from this many times.

This book by Wolfgang Jendsch, 2008, is offered on Amazon.com. I have not read it yet but the customer reviews give it good ratings. It contains lots of photos and information on the industry, worldwide.

"Sharing information and off-the-shelf technology
to better fight fires from the air".
They offer a blog and discussion board with info on a number of GIS, video, photo, and other electronic systems designed to assist with Aerial Firefigting.